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400
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ing the deeper shops, and I hope I have succeeded in obvia-ting all reasonable apprehension on that subject. The shopswithout mezzanines, are one in the southjront, one in the northfront, and four in the eastern entrance to the Exchange. Inthe area, in the latter case, they are left out, to allow of lightbeing obtained over the shops to the back parts of the otherpremises.
Exchange .—The Exchange is entered from four archedopenings in the centre of each side ; the form is a parallelo-gram, and the inner area exactly a double square. Thisi form has many advantages, both in point of convenience and
! elegance over the old form, and is also better adapted to the
j shape of the ground.
As to the level of the floor of the Exchange, I have heard| many opinions ; but it appears to me to be of the greatestimportance, that it should be as nearly level with the streetas possible. From the natural fall of the ground, however,which is quite gradual, but amounts to 3 feet 6 inches in thelength of the building from east to west, it is impossible toavoid a few steps at the north, south, and west entrances.Tiiis is an advantage at the west end, as it gives height andcharacter to the facade or portico; the exact effect and extentof this fall of the ground is shown in my north and southelevations. In the shops the steps are avoided, becausethey can follow the natural inclination of the ground.
Basement .—Much of the basement (or vaults,) is occupiedby the establishments over the respective divisions, andI have added some to the lesser shops, but there is stilla large space which may be let off, as the basement of theold building was. I have lighted the basement by areagratings in the pavement of the Exchange, exactly asformerly.
The public vaults are approached by two staircases, whichare placed in the eastern entrance. The central area isproposed to be left without a basement; it would be difficult! to keep it dry, and I do not know any use to which it could\ \ be applied which would pay for the cost.
Style of Architecture.
This is naturally one of the most important considerationsin the design, and one in which I have most to regret thelimited time I have had to consider this most extensive anddifficult composition. It appears to me, that a building for: essentially commercial purposes should present the character
of grandeur, simplicity, and usefulness. In this way, theuniversally acknowledged good effect of the Bourse at Paris has been obtained. In that building the lines are simple andunbroken, and the large arched windows surrounding thewalls behind the columns have all the character of shops oroffices. The west front of the Exchange of London , as inthat of Paris , must be the principal feature, the other sidesbeing bounded by buildings.
Another difficulty arises from the shape of the ground ;because any tower placed to agree with the lines of the southfront must disagree with the lines of the east and west fronts,which are in different planes ; and such an object, when seenfrom a distance, or from the area of the Exchange, wouldproduce an effect that would be discordant and unarchitec-tural, because it would bring into distinct notice a factJ which it should be the business of the architect-to conceal.I For a long time I contended with this difficulty, becauseI was anxious to place the tower or towers in the south front,
; 1 but it was impossible to get over the irregularity ; it would,
1 indeed, have been easy to have concealed this defect in the
j drawings, or have kept it out of notice, but the result, when
built, would only have ended, in my judgment, in disappoint-! ment and failure. For these reasons, and with these views,i I have composed my design as it is now exhibited. I have
t tl> e e
placed a portico at the west end, and the tower a eI) tid’'The south and north fronts exhibit unbroken lines 0 tpr for
lature, with a repetition of arches of the same c
the shops, offices, and entrances. We are deficien j.i»d •
land, of specimens of architecture of this unhro' (Jab
were I to adduce instances, I should quote the r«a 1 brok e0lery, as affording an illustration of the bad effect exce llert tand detached masses, and the Reform Club, of tl* eeffect of continuous and unbroken ones. . {0 ai>y
The portico would be very superior in dimensio'^ wor )d*in this country, and not very inferior to any in j g 90The width, from outside to outside of the 8 c0 u ^ ’ 0 f tl' efeet, and the height, from the ground to the a P jj ar tin’ 3pediment, is 74 feet 6 inches. The portico of v>„st-
post'
timber used to be all Balticteak. Everything to he sufficiently and compin all respects.
Sculpture. —I have not introduced much scu P ^ . an ^
design, because the estimate would not allow 0 jre i* , Jg
have, therefore, aimed at a style which did no , # j to ^any extent. , The sculpture introduced as e ® s !' 0 f the s ° U j I1architecture, embraces the five panels in the at > ^ panel* ,jfront, and the two figures at the west end. gupP 01
the south front are intended to represent ^ the rep'' eS ttl eby the principal cities of the empire, recei I'of the '' v0l 'vJ oftatives and productions ol the four quin teis 0 ^]efO al ' c ‘ . 0 ?!two seated figures in the west front, are ero ^ of a ' . e ,Peace and Abundance. There are seve;ral ® ^ ^ gctdp 1 t | )(Jwhich though not falling exactly under the hea ^jj 0>v gI think it desirable to mention, and they are as^ ^, c j ie s 0 jj,escutcheons on the key-stones of the three S re ® Iinr ] e g ^ 1 ° lie hwest front, are the arms of Queen
ted m
Church is 64 feet wide and 58 feet high ; that at ^
Office 76 feet wide and 67 feet high ; and from tnese^ g j ?e o‘sions a fair comparison may be made of the relativthe two porticos. p ee t ; J
The height of the order used in this edifice is « feet'the height of the tower, to the top of the vane, lS ^ ]i3) tl>*From the point of view prescribed by the instruc j^ ))0 yedtower is not seen. Had I been at liberty to haye _jq 0 u=e'the station further to the westward, as to Mim sl0 ° gn oVe rstreet, or the Poultry , the tower would have been sthe portico, and the effect of the composition there 7j^ raC terimproved. The sections and view show the exact a ‘ c0 ion'of the interior of the Exchange, the lower story 19 ^ . n jia-nade of the Doric order, the columns are 34 inc 1meter ; the upper order is Ionic . e x alDl "
Specification of the nature of the work. — * lift®nation of the foundations, which I ventured t0 , SU ^'hind f° rproved that the nature of the sub-soil is of the h e ® gen feetsupporting a large building. At an average of j- 0 ,. tl> efrom the surface, a very compact gravel is f° un ‘ fg c iei>*^sake of perfect uniformity, I should excavate 9 c0l|C re te ’for a few feet below this ; and by a uniform bed o ^ pio 9of the thickness of six feet over the whole su 'Thecertain and safe foundation would be made. cll rei u ^is full of water, and therefore the drainage must econsidered. . wm 1 ’
Your conditions require a general specification, ^ y UI ni sout going into full technicalities, I am at a !°^ to be e *ja specification of any value. I intend everything facecuted in the best manner. All external work reV ,]] iwith Portland stone ; all the horizontal divisions ‘ s tru cteit, for the purposes of security from fire, to he ^ f|oowith iron beams and brick arches ; and the cei 1 » gr _ '1 1over the colonnade constructed in the same m a j^fric*
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